Upanishads · Muṇḍaka 1.2.5
॥
Devanāgarī
एतेषु यः चरते भ्राजमानेषु यथाकालं च आहुतयः हि आददायन् ।
तं नयन्ति एताः सूर्यस्य रश्मयः यत्र देवानां पतिः एकः अधिवासः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
eteṣu yaḥ carate bhrājamāneṣu yathākālaṃ ca āhutayaḥ hi ādadāyan |
taṃ nayanti etāḥ sūryasya raśmayaḥ yatra devānāṃ patiḥ ekaḥ adhivāsaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एतेषुeteṣuin these; among these flames
यःyaḥwho; the one who
चरतेcarateacts; performs the rite
भ्राजमानेषुbhrājamāneṣuamong the shining (from √bhrāj — 'to blaze'); amid the glittering; in the flaming
यथाकालम्yathākālamat the proper time (yathā-kāla); in season; at the appointed hour
चcaand; as well as
आहुतयःāhutayaḥthe offerings; the libations
हिhiindeed; indeed
आददायन्ādadāyanreceiving (ā-√dā); presenting; offering
तम्tamit; such a one
नयन्तिnayantilead; conduct
एताःetāḥthese; they
सूर्यस्यsūryasyaof the sun; of Sūrya
रश्मयःraśmayaḥthe rays (raśmi); the beams of light; the threads of rays
यत्रyatrawhere; to where
देवानाम्devānāmof the gods; of the gods
पतिःpatiḥthe lord; sir
एकःekaḥsingle; one
अधिवासःadhivāsaḥthe dwelling (adhi-vāsa); the abode; a dwelling
Translation
"He who acts among these shining [tongues] and receives the offerings at the proper time — him they, [becoming] the rays of the sun, lead to where the one lord of the gods abides."
Version
be1da2f57f21 · published Jul 26, 2026, 8:10:40 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The honest glory of the path of sacrifice: he who "moves among the shining ones" — performs the rites while the seven tongues blaze — and yathākālam — offers the libations "at the due time", him the offerings themselves, becoming sūryasya raśmayaḥ — "the rays of the sun", carry upward: yatra devānāṁ patir eko 'dhivāsaḥ — "where the one abode of the lord of the gods is" (Indra, the king of heaven).
The picture is magnificent: the gifts do not vanish in the fire — they turn into a road; the poured butter becomes rays along which the pourer ascends. Sacrifice is the building of a bridge out of one's own offerings: what you have given, along that you travel. Herein is a deep truth of every path: a man journeys upon the gifts he has given away — and will get nowhere upon what he has kept.
And yet mark the address: the abode of the lord of the gods is the summit of the cosmos, not its Ground; Indra is the king of heaven, not the Imperishable. The road of rays is real and admirable — and ends where merit ends (the following verses will finish the thought). The Muṇḍaka leads its reader in the same order as Yama led Naciketas: first the full price of the upward path, then the question: and higher?